This invention relates to electronic mail message systems and, in particular, to a system that assigns a message characterization code to an electronic mail message that enables the router as well as the destination message server to more efficiently process the electronic mail message, based upon the message characterization code.
It is a problem in electronic mail messaging systems that all electronic mail messages are processed in a uniform manner, regardless of message content, identification of the message originator, identification of the message recipient, or other message processing factors. This results in time critical important messages being processed in the same manner as junk electronic messages. This paradigm also renders the Internet susceptible to overload in the case of a xe2x80x9cpushxe2x80x9d based information distribution by commercial enterprises and other organizations, wherein the subscribers receive unsolicited information from various sources.
The present configuration of the Internet and the electronic communications transmitted thereon is substantially a xe2x80x9cpullxe2x80x9d architecture, wherein the subscribers actively request information from various sources. For example, commercial information can be obtained from the passive network presence of a company by a subscriber via the use of a browser engine that can identify appropriate servers on which the desired information resides. In addition, subscribers provide their E-Mail addresses to selected other subscribers so that electronic mail messages can be exchanged. However, it is expected that the configuration of the Internet will migrate to a substantially xe2x80x9cpushxe2x80x9d architecture where commercial enterprises and other organizations actively distribute data to subscribers. The distribution of information is likely to be without the active solicitation by the subscriber and groups of subscribers will be targeted to receive information based upon market surveys, consumer surveys, and E-Mail lists. The information can be distributed to the subscribers via their electronic mail addresses, as is presently done in an analogous manner with paper mail.
When the push architecture is implemented, the Internet transmission and message processing capabilities are likely to be overwhelmed, since the message routers are not presently designed to handle mass mailings of information. In addition, the subscribers may receive a significantly increased number of electronic messages, over which they presently have no control. The Internet is therefore susceptible to mass mailing gridlock, which can result in the delayed delivery of important messages and the overload of subscribers with junk electronic messages.
The above described problems are solved and a technical advance achieved by the present priority and security encoding system for electronic mail messages that functions to ascribe a message characterization code to each electronic mail message which enables the router as well as the destination message server to more efficiently process the electronic mail message, based upon the message characterization code. The message characterization code is assigned by the message originator, or the message server that serves the message originator, to identify the nature of the electronic mail message. The message characterization code can be defined to denote any one or more message related factors, such as: message content, identification of the message originator, identification of the message recipient, message priority and security, or other message processing factors.
The message characterizing code is used by the message routers, network nodes, and destination message server to prioritize the processing of electronic mail messages and optionally provide subscriber defined alternate routing of certain classes of messages. This message characterizing code can also be used to automatically initiate various electronic message security measures to safeguard the privacy of most sensitive classes of messages, without the need for subscriber intervention. The degree of importance of a message and the degree of privacy desired for a message are correlated, so the use of a single message characterizing code is effective to address both measures. In this manner, the present priority and security encoding system for electronic mail messages provides the subscriber, as well as the network provider, with a modicum of control over the processing of the electronic mail messages that are transmitted by message originators to the subscriber.